Chair



D. H. HAYDEN Aug. 95 19438.

' CHAIR Filed Nov. so, 1935 s sheets-sheet 1 Aug 9 CHAIR Filed NOV. 50, 1955 3 Sheets-Shea? 2 Aug., W3;

D.' H. n-MYDEN @U CHAIR Filed Nov. 5o, 1935 s sheets-sheet s hamm/wen xNVENToR Patented Aug. 9, 1938 NUNITED STATES CHAIR David Homer Hayden, Candlewood Isle, New Fairfield, Conn.

Application November 30, 1935, Serial No. 52,4389

Claims.

This invention relates to chairs and has for its object to provide such a piece of furniture which is comfortable and capable of being folded.

I Another object is to provide a chair which is 5- oatingly mounted and adapted to conform to the various positions of an occupant.

A further object is to provide a chair which is adapted to have its seat and back tilt laterally.

A Few persons sit still in a chair. Most people 1'0" change their position often. Chairs of the prior art generally do not tilt, for example, from side to side with a shifting of the weight of the occupant and the failure of chairs to conform to an occupants change of position, requires an oc- 1'5" cupant to perform work in opposing the rigidity of the chair.

The chair of this invention is comfortable because it does not oppose such movements of an` occupant b-ut conforms to the body movements.

2()` For example, when a woman was sitting in this chair and'sewing in the usual manner raising one arm -to pull out the thread with each stroke of the needle, it was noticed that one side of the back of the chair moved up and down about one-half to three-quarters of an inch. This yield makes it unnecessary for` the one who is sewing to become tired by unsuccessfully trying to` raise and lower the back of a rigid chair.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a Arear view of the device shown in Fig. 1, but with'the hand table located on the other side of the chair.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical central section through the device of Fig. 1.`

Fig. 5 shows the device of the preceding figures When folded.

Fig. 6 illustrates another embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the seat portion of the device of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is another embodiment of this invention.

The seat Ill of the chair shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive comprises a number of light wooden slats which are capable of twisting Vslightly and which do not have any reenforcement or stiifening from front to rear.

"Ihe rear portion of the seat is supported on springs II and the front portion of the seat is pivotally secured by hinges IIV to4 an underframe which includes front legs I2 and the inclined back legs I3. The transverse member `IlI of the 55 Lunderframe connects the front legs I2. The back I5` is secured to the rear edge of the seat I0 by means of hinges I6. Arms I'I are pivotally connected at I8 to the front edge portion of the seat orV the underframe. The front legs are mounted laterally outside of the arms and afford a convenient support upon which to mount the table leg VI9 and top 2U at such a height as to be convenient for use by an occupant of the chair and at a height to clear the arms Il.

Each of the front legs I2 has a recess 2| capable` of'receiving this small work table so that it may. be mounted on either the left or right side of the chair. As shown in Fig. 4 the table top 20 is eccentrically mounted on the suportingY leg I9 so that it may be rotated with or on the leg I9 to its desired position for use.

The transversemernber 22 pivotally connects the rear portions of the arms Il and constitutes a support against which the upper portion of the back I5 may rest. Bent wire clips 23, or some other convenient type of fastening, connects the transverse member 22 with the back I5 through a pin or screw head 24 to which one end of each clip 23 is fastened.

Slidably mounted under the seat is a leg rest 25 whose front portion is supported on legs 26 as shown inFigs. 1 and 4.

A latch 2l holds each4 front leg and its rear leg I3 in position for use, these legs being pivotally connected at 28 for folding as shown in Fig. 5. Therear portion of the seat is reenforced by a transverse piece 29 against which the top ofthe spring I I bears. The lower portion of each spring rests on a transverse member 30 eX- tending between the rear legs. Conicallyshapecl blocks 3I are mounted on the cross member 3l! to assist in positioning the springs I I. The rear legs are also provided with a cross piece 32 adapted* to carry a latch 33 forholding the rear legs, lseat and back in foldedposition as shown in Fig. 5. Each of the front legs 26 of theV extension 25 is pivotally secured to be folded up under the front edge portionof the extension 25. Each leg may be held in folded positionby a catch 35.

The rear .portion of the extension 25 is provided with a yieldable or spring tongue 36 which is adapted to engage a catch 38 on the underside of the cross piece 29 so as to hold the extension 25 in position under the seat and out of. the wayv when not desired for use.

The work table 20 contains on its underside a block having two perforations, one to` receive the supporting leg I9 as shown in Fig. 4 andanother perforation 40 for receiving the supporting leg I9 when it is desired to have the table top 20 mounted in an inclined position. The transverse perforation 39 is adapted to receive the supporting leg I9 when the device is not in use. Preferably, the supporting leg I9 is held by the transverse perforation 39 a little out of the horizontal so that one side of the leg I9 may be folded or held contiguous the table top 20 when not in use, and even held in a position so that the leg may be slightly bent to maintain it securely in position.

In use a person sitting in the chair causes the springs II to be compressed. If the. occupant of the chair shifts his Weight so that it is more on one side than on the other, that rear side of the chair seat is depressed more than is the other side so that the rear edge of the chair seat is adapted to twist or have a limited rotation laterally, although the front edge of the chair seat does not so rotate, except about its hinge 4l connecting it to the underframe. In other words, one side of the seat at the rear may be raised or lowered with respect to the other rear corner, but one corner of the seat at the front may not be raised or lowered with respect to the other front corner of the seat. The back, being pivotally connected to the rear of the seat, tilts or rotates laterally with the rear edge of the seat.

The arms I1 are loosely enough connected at each of their ends to take care of this flexure and limited rotation of the back and seat. In other words, the arms have a limited pivotal movement about their front connections I8 in both the vertical and horizontal plane with this aforementioned tilting of the rear of the seat and the back. It is believed that this lateral movement of the seat and back is a feature which contributes to making this chair unusually comfortable. It conforms to whatever position the occupant takes and does not oppose any change in position as strongly as does a rigid chair, for example, or a chair which does not possess the same degree of free or iloating movements which the present chair has.

The dotted lines in Fig. 2 show how the right side of the seat and back may be moved lower than the other side. It is the ability of the seat and back of this chair to conform to even small movementsof the arms which cause almost imperceptible movements of the body, that makes this chair so comfortable. It is admirably adapted for use as a deck chair since rolling or pitching of the ship is transmitted to a less extent to the occupant. The chair seat being yieldable both up and down and yieldable sideways as described above causes the occupant to be maintained more nearly in a so-called floating position.

The chair is adapted to be easily and quickly folded for handling or storage. To fold it the arms are disconnected from the back and the arms drop down to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4. The back I5 is then moved about its pivot in a clockwise direction to a position contiguous the seat as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4. The foot rest extension 25 has its front legs folded and is then slid back under the seat until the iyieldable tongue 36 engages the staple 38 for holding the extension in its retracted position. The seat and springs may be raised until the lower end of the springs is free of their positioning projections 3|, when the springs II may be moved to a horizontal position under the seat as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, with one end of the springs supported by the projection 31. The. other end of the spring is pivotally mounted by means of. a staple illustrated so that it'vmay. be

held in either the horizontal or the operative position.

The latch 21 is then open to allow the rear legs I3 to swing relative to the front legs I2 about their pivots 28 to a position shown in Fig. 5. The parts of the chair are then in their folded position as shown in Fig. 5 when the latch 33 may be closed to hold the seat and its contiguous elements, adjacent the crosspiece 32 of the rear legs. In the folded position shown in Fig. 5 no latch or strap is necessary to hold the arms in the position illustrated for carrying the chair by the transverse member 22 of the arms.

This is because the center of gravity of the chair is so located that the arms may support the folded parts without the need of such a holding means. In other words, the center of gravity of the folded chair is located substantially to the right and back of the pivotal axes I8 between the arm I1 and the front edge of the seat or underframe. Of course, if the chair is to be carried when folded in some other than the usual position shown by Fig. 5, then it may be necessary to latch or tie the arms in the position illustrated.

In Figs. 6 and 7 is shown another embodiment of this invention in which the seat Illa. is formed of metal which is thin enough to twist so that one corner of the chair may be raised or lowered with respect to the other corner of the rear part of the seat. Being of metal the front portion of the seat has down turned lugs 42 stamped from it to engage each side of a transverse member under the front portion of the seat, such transverse member being hinged to the underframe as is the case with the construction illustrated in the preceding embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. The projecting hook support for one end of a spring when folded is stamped out to provide the supportinglug 43 shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Lugs 44 may also be stamped out of the seat to provide a perforation 45 in which a curved hinge catch 46 may engage to pivotally secure the back |511A to the seat. The lugs 44 serve as rear abutments for the springs.

'I'he staple or eyelet holding one portion of the spring in pivotal connection with the seat, may be welded to the seat to enable the spring II a to be folded into a horizontal position under the seat with its opposite end engaged by the hook 43. The central rear portion of the seat is also provided with a bent down lug 38a which is perforated in order to provide a means for retaining a spring tongue on a leg extension similar to that shown by the parts 25 and 36 in the preceding embodiment.

In Fig. 8 the frame comprises front legs 41 pivotally secured to the arms 48. An upper portion of the rear frame 49 is pivoted to the arms 48 at 5U just behind the front legs and this rear portion of the frame also includes rear legs 5I pivotally secured to the frame members 49 at 52. The back frame 53 is pivotally secured at its lower ends to rear spacing members 54 which in turn are pivotallysecured at 55 to the front legs. To fold the chair of Fig. 8 the supporting spring E2 is disconnected from the member 54 and the portions of the chair connected by the pivots 56, 51 swung until the arms 48 are moved in a counterclockwise direction until adjacent or in substantial alignment with the front legs 41. This causes the pivots 56 and 63 to be moved away from each other and the pivots 55 and 51 to be moved towardv each other. In this embodiment the seat and back comprise a single piece of fabric such as. canvas 58 secured at its front portion to a transverse member 59 which is pivoted at 6D to the front legs, the canvas being passed around this transverse member as shown.

At its opposite and upper end the fabric 58-is adjustably secured to the top of the back frame, transverse member 6| by any suitable form of adjustable connection permitting the 'effective length of the fabric to be varied.

In the form illustrated the fabric is passed around the transverse member 6I and its free end held under that portion of the `fabric having stress applied to it. To adjust the length it is only necessary to raise the mainiportion of the fabric enough to take thestress off the loose end when it may be easily moved to the` desired length or height for the seat. VOf course,- any other convenient-form of adjusting means may be used. The transverse member 59 is preferably of substantial extent from front to rrear sothat the occupant of the seat is not in danger of having his legs rest on any narrow rung as is sometimes the case with fabric seated chairs. Another feature contributing to comfort is the ability of this transverse member 59 to be tilted so that the fabric does notv leave the rear edge of the transverse member at any different angle and no uncomfortable edge is possible. In this embodiment the rear portion of the seat is resiliently supported by a spring 62 subjected to a tensional stress. When an occupant sits in the chair the seat and backframe may tilt so that one side is higher or lower than the other.

The frame member 49 is inclined at such angle that there is no danger of the chair arm 4B swinging to a position contiguous the member 49 under ordinary loads, though under excessive weights the frame member 49 may serve as a stop or abutment for the arm 48 to take the eX- cessive weight off the spring 52.

In each of the embodiments illustrated the seat is adapted to twist enabling one rear corner to be moved up or down with respect to the other rear corner, so that the seat may conform to a change in position of an occupant. With such movementof the rear portion of the seat, the back frame or the back in each of the embodiments illustrated is adapted for limited rotation in the plane of the back.

In each embodiment the arms are so connected at each end as to permit them to have limited swinging movement around their frontpivots in either vertical or horizontal planes, or both, in order that the arms may not impede the floating and lateral movements of the back. In any of the forms of this invention shown, the arms may be secured to the back frame after the manner of a Morris chair so that the back frame may have whatever adjustable inclination is desired. Of course, with a back adjustable to various inclinations, it must still be adapted for the lateral floating movements just described, and this is essentially true in its more nearly upright position.

The pivot I8 for the arms Il may consist of an iron or wooden bar passing through the front legs and across under the front portion of the seat. In this last event the front legs will need to be made higher than the height shown for them in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. The seat may be secured to this cross bar by staples so that it will be able to rock on this bar without the necessity for hinges 4l being used, since the staples themselves will pivotally connect the front portion of the seat to the bar and permit the chair to be folded substantially as described above. The seat when made of wood may be formed of slats, or ply board, or thin pressed wood.

I claim: 1. A chair comprising an underframe adapted to rest on the floor, a flexible seat pivotally secured to the unclerframe adjacent the front edge of the seat, a back connected to, carried by, and adapted to tilt laterally with the rear end portion of said seat, spring means between the underframe and seat for resiliently supporting said seat and back for simultaneous movement for both the back and rear end portion of said seat, and substantially rigid arms pivotally connecting said back above the seat to the front portion of said underframe to maintain the angle between the seat and back substantially fixed as the rear portion of said seat is lowered by the Weight of an occupant against the action of said spring means, said arms having limited pivotal movement in both vertical and horizontal planes,

said seat being adapted to twist to allo-w one rear corner portion to be moved up or down with respect to the other rear corner portion as an occupant may shift his weight or position, said twisting of the rear seat portion being accompanied by lateral tilting of the back and pivotal movement of said arms. f

2. A chair comprising an underframe adapted to rest on the floor, a flexible seat pivotally secured to the 'underframe adjacent the front edge of the seat, a back connected to, carried by, and adapted to tilt laterally with the rear end portion f said seat, spring means between the underframe and seat for resiliently supporting said seat and back for simultaneous movement for both the back and rear end portion of said seat, and substantially rigid arms pivotally connecting said back above the seat to the front portion of said underframe to maintain the angle between the seat and back` substantially Xed as the rear portion of said seat is lowered by the weight of an occupant against the action of said spring means, said arms having limited pivotal movement in both vertical and horizontal planes, said seat being adapted to twist to allow one rear corner portion to be moved up or down with respect to the other rear corner portion as an occupant may shift his weight or position, said twisting of the rear seat portion being accompanied by lateral tilting of the back and pivotal movement of said arms, the pivotal front portion of said seat having fixed relation to the underframe whereby the front portion of the seat is kept at substantially a uniform distance from the floor.

3. A chair comprising-an underframe adapted to rest on the floor, a flexible seat pivotally secured to the underframe adjacent the front edge of the seat, a back connected to, carried by, and adapted to laterally tilt with the rear end portion of said seat, spring means between the underframe and seat for resiliently supporting said seat and back for simultaneous movement for both the back and rear end portion of said seat, and substantially rigid arms connecting said back above the seat to the front portion of said underframe to maintain the angle between the seat and back substantially fixed as the rear portion of said seat is lowered by the weight of an occupant' against the action of said spring means, said arms having limited pivotal movement in both vertical and horizontal planes, said seat being adapted to twist to allow one rear corner portion to be moved up or down with respect to the other rear corner portion as an occupant may shift his weight or position, said twisting of the rear seat portion being accompanied by lateral tilting of the back and pivotal movement of said arm, said underframe including front legs arranged with their longitudinal axes laterally displaced from the longitudinal axes of said arms at their front connection.

4. A chair comprising an underframe adapted to rest on the floor, a exible seat pivotally secured to the underframe adjacent the front edge of the seat, a back connected to, carried by, and adapted to laterally tilt with the rear end portion of said seat, spring means between the underframe and seat for resiliently supporting said seat and back for simultaneous movement for both the back and rear end portion of said seat, and substantially rigid arms pivotally connecting said back above the seat to the front portion of said underframe to maintain the angle between the seat and back substantially fixed as the rear portion of said seat is lowered by the Weight of an occupant against the action of said spring means, said arms having limited pivotal movement in both vertical and horizontal planes, said seat being adapted to twist to allow one rear corner portion to be moved up or down with respect to the other rear corner portion as an occupant may shift his weight or position, said twisting of the rear seat portion being accompanied by lateral tilting of the back and pivotal movement of said arms, said back and seat at least one of them having longitudinally extending slats connected at each end to transverse strips adapted to distribute stress across the slats.

5. A chair comprising an underframe adapted to rest on the oor, a flexible seat pivotally secured to the underframe adjacent the front edge of the seat, a back connected to, carried by, and adapted to laterally tilt with the rear end portion of said seat, spring means between the underframe and seat for resiliently supporting said seat and back for simultaneous movement for both the back and rear end portion of said seat, and substantially rigid arms pivotally connecting said back above the seat to the front portion of said underframe to maintain the angle between the seat and back substantially fixed as the rear portion of said seat is lowered by the weight of an occupant against the action of said spring means, said arms having limited pivotal movement in both vertical and horizontal planes, said seat being adapted to twist toallow one rear corner portion to be moved up or down with respect to the other rear corner portion as an occupant may shift his weight or position, said twisting of the rear seat portion being accompanied by lateral tilting of the back and pivotal movement of said arms, said arms being connected to the underframe adjacent the level of the front edge of said seat.

DAVID HOMER HAYDEN. 

